Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part VII

NHC - NOAA ^ | 23 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Hurricane Rita landfall is anticipated within the next few hours. Strong winds and heavy rains are battering southern Louisiana and southeastern Texas.

MSM news crews are shouting over the howling winds as they foolishly describe blowing rain, swaying trees, and crashing waves through rain splattered camera lenses. It's a hurricane. We know these things already.

An 18 wheeler rig reportedly overturned on an I-10 bridge. The fate of the truck driver is unknown at this time. Reports of widespread power outages in Lake Charles. KPLC-TV Lake Charles local news has remarkably improvised their reporting from a remote location. They are taking calls from residents, NWS, and public utility representatives, and alerting residents to local conditions.

On the flip side, CNN announced to the world that law enforcement officers had evacuated from Port Arthur TX with the rest of the population. Engraved looter invitations would have been more elegant.

Godspeed to all those in the path of this storm.

The following links are self-updating:

Public Advisory Currently published every 3 hours 5A, 8A, 11A, 2P, etc. ET
NHC Discussion Published every six hours 6A, 11A, 6P, 11P
Three Day Forecast Track
Five Day Forecast Track

Rita Forecast Track Archive
Forecast Models
Buoy Data Western Gulf of Mexico
Houston/Galveston/Beaumont/Lake Charles Wx Watches/Warnings
Jefferson Co TX NWS Weather
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Texas
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Louisiana
Hi Res Houston Flood Zone Map Slow load, great detail

Images:

Lake Charles Long Range Radar Still image, with loop link
Houston/Galveston Long Range Radar Still image, with loop link
Lake Charles Experimental Radar Outages and Delays May Occur

Storm Floater IR Loop
GOM WV Loop
GOM IR Still Image
Visible Storm Floater Still (only visible during daylight hours)
Color Enhanced Atlantic Loop

Streaming Video: (coverage may be intermittent)

KHOU-TV/DT Houston
KPRC-TV/DT Houston
KTRK-TV/DT Houston
KTRH-AM Houston
KPLC-TV/DT Lake Charles/Lafayette
KSLA-TV/DT Shreveport

Additional Resources:

FReeper Sign In Thread Check in to let us know whether you are staying, going, and when you get there
FReepers Offering Lodging To Rita Evacuees People and/or Pet Friendly FReepers Offering Shelter
KHOU Houston
KTRK ABC News Houston
KPLC Lake Charles Evac Routes, news
KFDM Beaumont/Port Arthur News, evac info
Hurricane City
Wxnation Houston
Galveston Webcams
Golden Triangle Weather Page Provides Galveston Weather, Warnings, Radar, etc.

Category	Wind Speed	Barometric Pressure	Storm Surge	Damage Potential
Tropical Depression	< 39 mph < 34 kts			Minimal
Tropical Storm	39 - 73 mph 34 - 63 kts			Minimal
Hurricane 1 (Weak)	74 - 95 mph 64 - 82 kts	28.94" or more 980.02 mb or more	4.0' - 5.0' 1.2 m - 1.5 m	Minimal damage to vegetation
Hurricane 2 (Moderate)	96 - 110 mph 83 - 95 kts	28.50" - 28.93" 965.12 mb - 979.68 mb	6.0' - 8.0' 1.8 m - 2.4 m	Moderate damage to houses
Hurricane 3 (Strong)	111 - 130 mph 96 - 112 kts	27.91" - 28.49" 945.14 mb - 964.78 mb	9.0' - 12.0' 2.7 m - 3.7 m	Extensive damage to small buildings
Hurricane 4 (Very strong)	131 - 155 mph 113 - 135 kts	27.17" - 27.90" 920.08 mb - 944.80 mb	13.0' - 18.0' 3.9 m - 5.5 m	Extreme structural damage
Hurricane 5 (Devastating)	Greater than 155 mph Greater than 135 kts	Less than 27.17" Less than 920.08 mb	Greater than 18.0' Greater than 5.5m	Catastrophic building failures possible

Previous Threads:
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part VI
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part V
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part IV
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part III
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part II
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part I
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18

[conservative in nyc]

Oakdale's 50 miles or so Northwest of Lake Charles, LA.

[Liberal Classic]

If you are in the true path of this thing you will be very pleased that a tree in the window is the worst thing you have experienced. Where are you?

Twenty-four hours ago we were the bullseye. We feel for those in western Louisiana who now have this storm bearing down upon them directly.

Why am I doing it? Because I am sick and tired of puny, uncounted, and worthless people using Free Republic for their miserable, worthless misfortunes.

You realize that you don't have to read threads you don't like. You can safely ignore our pitiful mewling by not clicking the link. I'll thank you to try it.

[Blogger]

Looks like there are restaurants across the street from the 1894 Opera house. That's probably what is on fire. http://www.thestrand.com/maps/maps.php

[fishntex]

Shep and his cameraman are going to blow away if he doesn't get inside, for crying out loud. He's stuck on stupid for sure.

It more like Shemp tonight.

[apackof2]

You ok?

[MarMema]

and all the bad stuff has petered out before it's gotten to us.

Good news for Houston. Thanks for sharing it.

[Txsleuth]

I heard that he rescued a few ....

They interviewed an old guy from the bus on our local news...and he was talking about a policeman that rescued him...and how he carried him "like a baby", and even after being told there were oxygen canisters in the bus...

he went back to get more...and then the bus exploded..

I had tears running down my face listening to the story.

I also heard that supposedly, alledgedly, the driver took the bus to get a new tire...and the guy that put the tire on, told him that the brake was in bad shape and could be trouble...but the driver didn't tell him to fix it..

so he put the new tire on, and well, we know what happened.

I didn't hear though, when he had the tire put on.

Like I said...supposedly, allegedly...on all of this from my local radio news.

[Howlin]

We discussed this during Katrina; CNN definitely has the best storm coverage.

It's just the anchors who had us looking around for something to hurt them with.

[RDTF]

I wuz waitin for it!! LOLOLOLOL!

[NautiNurse]

Oh man - those sparks are flying.

[TheMom]

I don't care hot they keep that dang hat on. Hell, I can't even spell snockerED correctly right now.

[MarMema]

God Bless those first reponders.

Amen.

[groanup]

I keep getting my posts deleted so I am going to be nice and hush.

Me too. I'm going to hush.

[Babsig]

I am switching back and forth from Fox and TWC and I swear the guy on the TWC in Beaumont is broadcasting from the exact same place as Shep on Fox, and he is not being blown around and losing hats like Shep.

[BurbankKarl]

Keep rolling that tape!

the mayor said its been out for a while...and they were heading into the interior of the bldg because winds are hitting 110 plus

[steve86]

Thanks for the info on the bus situation

[johnb838]

Where did you hear that the Galleria was blacked out? I haven't had any wind or any glitches yet at all.

[GOPJ]

thanks for the ping.

[RoseyT]

Could someone please tell me how wide the eye is now? I forgot which numbers I need to look at. Thanks so much.